Everything is Lies by Helen Callaghan #bookreview

Publication date: 22nd February 2018

Synopsis:

WHAT IF YOUR PARENTS HAD BEEN LYING TO YOU SINCE THE DAY YOU WERE BORN?

From the author of the THRILLING SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER DEAR AMY.

Can you trust anyone?

Sophia’s parents lead quiet, unremarkable lives. At least that is what she’s always believed.

Has everyone got something to hide?

Until the day she arrives at her childhood home to find a house ringing with silence. Her mother is hanging from a tree. Her father is lying in a pool of his own blood, near to death.

What if the person lying to you is the one closest to you?

The police are convinced it is an attempted murder-suicide. But Sophia is sure that the woman who brought her up isn’t a killer. As her father is too ill to talk it is up to Sophia to clear her mother’s name. And to do this she needs to delve deep into her family’s past – a past full of dark secrets she never suspected were there . . .

My Thoughts

Sophia has made a life for herself away from her parent’s business, but a strange call from her mum brings her home the following day to find her mum hanging from a tree and her dad critically injured.  This book has a great opening which pulls you straight in, I found Sophia to be extremely likeable and I was with her every step of the way in her search for the truth.

Sophia finds notebooks that her mum has written and realises her whole upbringing has been a lie, I enjoyed these parts of the book and found the narrative to have a lovely flow which made me want to keep reading. Although at times I found myself wanting to give her mum Nina a good shake – how could see not see what was going on?! – It was infuriating but in the best way – it kept me hooked.  Sophia’s search for the truth of what may or may not have happened is well done and there are plenty of twists and turns.

There were a couple of things that frustrated me, without giving anything away, there were a couple of unresolved issues that are still bothering me, but overall, I really enjoyed reading this book, it was fast paced, full of intrigue and I was never sure what was coming next. Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for letting me have a copy to review.